Today I just want to share a true story the priest recounted during the homily of yesterday's mass:
During the time this priest was giving service at the Oratory in Birkirkara, a weekly prayer meeting was being organized there. One day, at the back of the room, he noticed a man who had never attended before. He went to speak with him, the usual small talk. After a few minutes this man confessed that he was going through a dark patch. He owned a small but thriving business which was doing very well. One day he met a friend who had lost his job and had nothing to sustain his family. He decided to do an act of charity with him, and took him as a partner in his business. The business continued growing, and they had enough income for both of them. After a few months, this friend started taking over, and at a point in time threw this man out of his own business. This man had been thrown out of his own business by a friend he had let in to help.
"So, I had two options," he told this priest, "either kill him, or reach out for God. And here I am." The priest replied: "If you really want to relieve yourself of this burden, start praying that his business succeeds." The man was shocked, and during the next month he was not seen at another prayer meeting.
A month later, he was back. After the prayer meeting was over, he went to speak to the priest again. "I did it," he told him. "I spent a month fighting it, afraid to yield back. But I finally did, I sincerely prayed for him to succeed. And I have never been happier in my life. I am finally free again."
The power of love, the power of forgiveness. Because forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.
And when you forgive, you do set a prisoner free. That prisoner is you.
During the time this priest was giving service at the Oratory in Birkirkara, a weekly prayer meeting was being organized there. One day, at the back of the room, he noticed a man who had never attended before. He went to speak with him, the usual small talk. After a few minutes this man confessed that he was going through a dark patch. He owned a small but thriving business which was doing very well. One day he met a friend who had lost his job and had nothing to sustain his family. He decided to do an act of charity with him, and took him as a partner in his business. The business continued growing, and they had enough income for both of them. After a few months, this friend started taking over, and at a point in time threw this man out of his own business. This man had been thrown out of his own business by a friend he had let in to help.
"So, I had two options," he told this priest, "either kill him, or reach out for God. And here I am." The priest replied: "If you really want to relieve yourself of this burden, start praying that his business succeeds." The man was shocked, and during the next month he was not seen at another prayer meeting.
A month later, he was back. After the prayer meeting was over, he went to speak to the priest again. "I did it," he told him. "I spent a month fighting it, afraid to yield back. But I finally did, I sincerely prayed for him to succeed. And I have never been happier in my life. I am finally free again."
The power of love, the power of forgiveness. Because forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.
And when you forgive, you do set a prisoner free. That prisoner is you.
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